Cornell (thank) U
Take a trip down memory lane with other Cornellians. Weekly conversations with Michelle and Stephanie will introduce you to past and present Cornellians to hear where they are now and why they are most thankful to Cornell. (Not affiliated with or sponsored by Cornell University)
Cornell (thank) U
Cornell’s Elena Neuman ’88: How a 10-Minute Video Became a Feature Documentary (Plus The Song You Need on a Monday)
We kick off the episode with the upbeat song from Looking Up, because it’s exactly the Monday energy you need. Elena Neuman ’88 joins us to share how a 10-minute video unexpectedly became a full feature documentary—filmed on the face of El Capitan in Yosemite.
Elena reflects on her Cornell experience, the professor who changed her path, and what it really takes to tell a powerful story—from creative pivots during COVID to finding the heart of a film in the edit.
She also shares her work leading the effort to build Cornell’s first standalone Hillel, creating the kind of community she wishes had existed when she was a student.
It’s a conversation about perseverance, curiosity, and forward momentum. And it's clear that Elena is a gifted storyteller, maybe especially when it comes to telling her own!
Her documentary:
https://www.neumanfilm.com/lookingup
Hillel
https://www.cornellhillel.org/
LinkedIn:
Elena Neuman Lefkowitz
Not sponsored by or affiliated with Cornell University